Well, it is winter and I have a mouse in my hive!

[Shaun Ananko]

Hi all,
I can still here the bees humming, but I see cappings and grass around in the entrance of the hive. The hive is one deep tall. Any thoughts on what I can do? Wait for warm day? Trap out with peanut butter? I hear mice leave the hive at night, is that true?

Thanks
Shaun

[Mr.Beeman]

Mice are mostly nocturnal. Place a nice big ole mousetrap baited with peanut butter on the front porch of the hive. Get that little bugger!

[beemandan]

Place a nice big ole mousetrap baited with peanut butter on the front porch of the hive.

Careful here....what if the neighbor's dog finds it first? Or a raccoon or skunk? On a warm day...chase it out and put a mouseguard on...would be my advice.....of course with my luck it'll move into the house

[jmgi]

I know they make mousetraps with the trap inside a little black plastic box so nothing can get into it except what you want to get into it. John

[Mr.Beeman]

Careful here....what if the neighbor's dog finds it first? Or a raccoon or skunk?

Either way it would be near the hive someplace. lol

[jdmidwest]

Careful here....what if the neighbor's dog finds it first? Or a raccoon or skunk? On a warm day...chase it out and put a mouseguard on...would be my advice.....of course with my luck it'll move into the house

I put bigger traps than that out and raccoons and skunks gets skinned, dogs sit their till I let them out. If they resist, I have a choke stick on them and hold the head away till I release the foot. You should be fine with a mouse trap.

Or get a cat

[rmcpb]

Mouse trap will not worry anything bigger than a mouse. Might sting a bit but that is all.

[Kavius]

If you are worried about protecting larger animals, I have used a home-made version of the plastic boxes with a lot of success. It also turned out to be a lot more humane to the mice.

I have a pet rabbit that runs around the house. He chases mice, but he's old and blind... I wanted to put traps out, but had concerns about the rabbit getting a broken foot.

Solution:

Take a small (6x6x2 inch) cardboard box, cut 2x1inch holes on either side forming a tunnel. Place a standard snap trap inside up against one of the holes (I prefer the ones with the big plastic triggers). Place your newly formed tunnel up against a wall.

I don't even bait mine. I've watched a mouse see the box, head directly for it, and cannot resist going through the tunnel. As for humane, I haven't had a maimer since using this method.

Obviously cardboard is the wrong material for outside use...

[Shaun Ananko]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I am going to try the box mouse trap method and hope for the best. We also have a 50 degree day coming up so, maybe I will get lucky.

[beemandan]

You should be fine with a mouse trap.

Mouse trap will not worry anything bigger than a mouse. Might sting a bit but that is all.

I’m not sure what kind of mousetraps you use but those I use are powerful enough to nearly cut a mouse in half. Otherwise...what's the point?
A raccoon, skunk, possum or whatever will run away with the trap clamped on their tongue. When they finally get it off, much of their tongue will be lost and they will likely die. They depend on those tongues. Your neighbor’s dog? She may make it home with the trap still on….and will likely have to be put down. Have you ever seen a dog lap water with half a tongue?
I am amazed at this advice.

[Dave Burrup]

Beemandan I think you are fear mongering. I have caught every cat and dog that I have ever owned in a mouse trap. I have never seen one get more than a slap on the nose. I have never seen anything get caught on the tongue. After getting hit on the nose they never bother another trap again.
Dave

[beemandan]

Beemandan I think you are fear mongering.

I can assure you that any critter that sticks its tongue in a good mousetrap trap will be damaged. If you've managed to catch all sorts of animals with your traps and all they've ever gotten a tap on the nose...you've been lucky. In these matters...I choose to err on the side of caution. If that's fear mongering...so be it. If you think it is worth the chance of injuring a neighbor's pet or local wildlife....who am I to argue?

[Mr.Beeman]

I can ASSURE you beemandan that the odds of ..........."A raccoon, skunk, possum or whatever will run away with the trap clamped on their tongue. When they finally get it off, much of their tongue will be lost and they will likely die. They depend on those tongues. Your neighbor’s dog? She may make it home with the trap still on….and will likely have to be put down."
is ASTRONOMICAL, if not impossible.
Trust me... I know.

Rest easy now my friend.

[BeeGhost]

I've snapped those Victor mouse traps on my finger just to show the kids, and there is no way that it will mame or "kill" anything other than a mouse. What kind of mouse trap are you using beemandan? Sounds like you could catch a bear with that thing!

[Rader Sidetrack]

I don't have a dog in this fight, but Beemandan is not the only person who has issues with mousetraps injuring domestic animals. From a Dog forum:

I once assisted in the surgical amputation of the tongue of a dog. The dog tested a training mousetrap with his tongue first while the owner was gone all day. By the time the owner came home, removing a third of the tongue was the only solution.

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/liv...ning-aids.html

[Mr.Beeman]

Heck, it is on the internet.... so it must be true. lol

Is this the dog?

images.jpeg

[beemandan]

I've snapped those Victor mouse traps on my finger just to show the kids, and there is no way that it will mame or "kill" anything other than a mouse.

I use Victors. I've accidentally tripped them and mine will put a bruise on your finger. Now...I dare ya. Set one and trip it with your tongue. I'd dare you to test it on ol' Fido's tongue...but he doesn't deserve it.

As I advised the op...I'd run the mouse out and put a guard on the entrance.

[Rader Sidetrack]

Heck, it is on the internet.... so it must be true. lol

The odds ......is ASTRONOMICAL, if not impossible.

The odds of any given person buying a winning Powerball Lottery ticket is what is really astronomical, but that doesn't stop millions of people. And eventually, somebody collects.

Trust me... I know.

You haven't provided any information as to why we should trust you, who after all, is just another anonymous person on the internet!

[FlowerPlanter]

If it get above 45 deg go in and get him. If it get away it might come back.

Top entrence will keep mice out and make it hard for skunks to feed.

[jdmidwest]

I’m not sure what kind of mousetraps you use but those I use are powerful enough to nearly cut a mouse in half. Otherwise...what's the point?
A raccoon, skunk, possum or whatever will run away with the trap clamped on their tongue. When they finally get it off, much of their tongue will be lost and they will likely die. They depend on those tongues. Your neighbor’s dog? She may make it home with the trap still on….and will likely have to be put down. Have you ever seen a dog lap water with half a tongue?
I am amazed at this advice.

Funny, I have seen dogs sit all night with a #3 Duke on their paw and still walk away just fine. The toes are numb for a while till the blood starts flowing again, but they do not need amputation or put down. They don't even need to see a vet. They may favor it for a while.

A little mouse trap will get pulled off pretty easy by anything bigger than a mouse and will not be any worse for the wear.

If you are really concerned about traps, most farm stores sell nice little bricks of poison that kills them quick.